About the Program
- Preparation for positions in statistics, applied mathematics, and financial analysis in business, government, or industry
- Preparation for graduate school in mathematics, statistics, mathematics education, or risk management/actuarial science
- Preparation for secondary teaching
- Preparation for the first two exams of the Society of Actuaries and Casualty Actuarial Society (See separate section on Arcadia’s Actuarial Science major.)
- Opportunities to study abroad at some of the top universities around the world
Arcadia University’s Mathematics programs are designed to help students to develop problem-solving skills as well as the theoretical insight needed both for applications and graduate study. Courses use state-of-the-art technology, including graphing calculators, computer algebra systems such as Maple, Geometer’s Sketchpad, and statistical software such as SAS and SPSS.
The curriculum allows students to specialize in Secondary Education or pure math. Arcadia also offers majors in Computer Science, Computing Technology, and Actuarial Science. Information on these majors is listed separately.
Recent graduates are actuaries, secondary teachers, biostatisticians, statistical programmers, financial analysts, and graduate students in mathematics, statistics, and engineering. They have found positions with companies such as Boeing, Ernst & Young, Towers Watson, and Aon Consulting. Students have continued their educations at universities such as Columbia, Wisconsin, Rutgers, George Mason, Delaware, and Villanova.
Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics
The Bachelor of Arts degree program prepares students for teaching mathematics at the elementary and secondary school level and for jobs in industry and business. It can serve as a second major for students specializing in other fields.
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
The Bachelor of Science degree program involves a deeper investigation of both mathematics and applied sciences and prepares students for graduate study, teaching and work in programming and research. Career options include business, government, industry, teaching positions at all levels from elementary through university, and actuarial science positions.
Study Abroad Opportunities
Mathematics majors are strongly encouraged to take full advantage of the study abroad opportunities that Arcadia University offers. In recent years, students have studied at universities in England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, and Italy. All benefited greatly from their experiences.
Students who plan to study abroad should meet with their advisers as soon as possible to discuss their options. This is especially true given that several of the Department’s upper-level courses are taught on an alternating year basis. Therefore, the best semesters to study abroad might differ from year to year. Several courses are part of sequences, and students are advised to take those entire sequences at Arcadia.
Many majors elect not to take any math or computing courses during the semester abroad, instead choosing humanities and social science courses that fulfill Undergraduate Curriculum requirements. These latter courses are more apt to help students gain a rich knowledge and appreciation of the culture of the country in which they are studying.
Since it is important that students plan ahead for study abroad, they should consult with their advisers as soon as possible and make their intentions known to the Department Chair and the Associate Dean of International Affairs.
